Every effort on the part of friends and relatives to prevent her leaving her baby and taking this step prove of no avail.

She obtains the Emperor's permission, and sets out.

The description of her journey is even more graphic and touching than that of Princess Trubetzkoy's.

She hears on the way about the efforts which have been made to turn the latter from her purpose, and that probably the same measures will be used with her.
At one point she meets the caravan which is bringing the silver from the Nertchinsk mines to the capital, and she asks the young officer in charge if the exiles are alive and well.

He replies insultingly that he knows nothing about such people.